Stroke of Midnight
by macmoosie
Summary: Bond meets a woman hoping to become an agent for MI6, but their meeting is interrupted by men who's orders are to kill them both. OneShot. Read and Review!


Disclaimer: I do not own James Bond, nor am I affiliated with MGM or EON Productions in any way. I do own the original characters in this story.

Author's Note: Rated T for violence.

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1/

The night sky was beautiful to behold just a half hour before James Bond was due to meet a new agent. Now the stars had given way to a large gathering of grey clouds. The rain was steady and falling rather heavily. Bond sat at the large dining table awaiting the meeting with the new field operative M had insisted he accompany.

'A job with an experienced agent would be rather beneficial' she had told him.

It was the third he had to assist in the last nine days. All had been stuck up, over confident twenty year olds looking for the glory in the line of work. He leant back and sipped his martini. In the distance an attractive young woman entered dressed in an emerald green evening gown which graciously clung to her upper body before spreading at the hips. The bottom hung down to her ankles revealing a pair of matching green high heeled shoes. The top cut down showing a small hint of cleavage. The woman approached his table being escorted by the restaurants Maitre'd. He pulled the chair out for her and moved it in as she sat down. She ordered a small glass of champagne. Bond looked directly into her face. Her hair was a deep bronze colour which shimmered all the way to her shoulders. Her eyes were as green as the dress she wore and her lips were thinly spread across a small, seductive mouth. She wore a light coating of make up. Bond leant forward.

"Did M send you miss?"

"Nicole" she replied nervously. Her accent was English with a hint of Canadian. "Nicole Ramsey. Yes she did. You must be my mentor, Mr?"

"Bond… James Bond".

She smiled sweetly as Bond reached forward to shake her hand. She accepted quickly and nervously. She giggled lightly as though she had been holding on for too long. A rather tall waiter brought Nicole's glass of champagne and a small basket carrying six small bread rolls. There tops were sprinkled lightly with flour. It hinted that they were made on site.

"I took the liberty of ordering for the both of us" Bond said as the girl began taking polite sips from her drink. "A roast chicken with mixed vegetables and an apple crumble for desert".

She nodded in acceptance as she swallowed some more champagne.

"Aren't you the gentleman Mr Bond" she replied.

Her voice was soft, gracious and innocent. There was a sense of politeness being covered by minor sarcasm. She flicked her hair back over her shoulder. Her skin looked soft and smooth. The light from the chandelier bounced right off it. The pair began to converse about her past and her choosing of the secret agent lifestyle.

"Why do you want to be a secret agent" Bond asked noticing that the main course was on its way over. She held her response until the waiter left the table.

"At university I studied international politics and relations. I did rather well and got a job working at the British embassy in Ottawa. The hours were long but the pay was reasonable. One morning we received a threat letter. I took no notice of it at all."

She drank the last of her champagne before continuing on.

"Two days later we were attacked. Nine men wielding guns stormed through the building attempting to take the ambassador hostage. I ducked behind the desk when I heard them blast the door open. I grabbed one guarding the entrance and took his rifle. I made my way to the ambassador's office. I killed three of them and the others escaped. I was recommended to the SIS. So here I am".

Bond called over a waiter and ordered a bottle of Bollinger. The waiter bowed and left for the kitchen. Bond and Nicole continued to converse until Bond paused. The slightly unusual noise and the groan of a man emanated from the kitchen.

"What's the matter James" Nicole asked. Bond didn't reply and eyed the kitchen. A different waiter entered through the swinging double doors of the kitchen carrying a tray with a wine bottle on it. The man lowered his arm and grabbed the bottle by the neck. Bond's eyes widened as the man readied his arm to throw.

"Get down" Bond yelled pushing the table onto its side and helping Nicole to the floor. The man threw the bottle which crashed through the window near Bond's table and out onto an expensive looking car. The bottle exploded and the contents spread in a flaming pool.

"What the hells that?" Nicole asked in pure fear.

"Napalm" Bond replied. The table they were hiding behind was on fire and was spreading to the carpet. The screams of the other patrons was almost instantly silenced by the sound of gun fire. Bond pushed Nicole right as he rolled left. A barrage of bullet shot through the burning table into the remnants of was once the restaurant wall. Bond quickly pulled out his PPK and ducked behind another table. Nicole tore the base of her dress up to her knee and pulled out a small hand gun. She smiled at Bond as she hid behind another table. Bond made a quick observation. Six men, two with guns and napalm in wine bottles. These guys weren't your average mob coming to ruin a party. Nicole aimed her gun at a man with a second wine bottle. Her shot slammed into the label of the bottle exploding it on impact. As if on cue the sprinklers came on dousing the room. Bond fired at one gunman as he looked to the roof. The man collapsed onto a table breaking it under his weight.

Bond stepped up as Nicole fired three shots into the chest of the second gunman. A man dressed as a waiter threw a tray at Bond as though it was a Frisbee. Bond rolled forward over the remnants of a seafood platter barely avoiding the tray. Bond fired twice at the man; once in the shoulder and once in the head. The tray embedded itself deeply into the wall less a metre from Nicole. The two remaining intruders headed for the door; the second one tossing a napalm bottle behind him. Bond stared as the only main exit was now blocked. He turned and fired the last of his bullets into a nearby window shattering it. He pulled out a spare magazine and reloaded his gun.

Nicole looked at Bond and said, "I was hoping you'd start me off slow". Bond looked at the burning hallway.

"Let's just call this a baptism by fire" he replied.

Bond grabbed Nicole by the wrist and together they made their way through the broken window. The sound of a car speeding away in the distance attracted Bond's attention. He continued running as he watched the van turn left from the car lot. Bond grabbed the keys to his new model Lotus Esprit and used the emergency ignition button the keyless entry pad. He quickly got into the car with Nicole by his side. He put the car in gear and sped through the car lot after the men. He could see their break lights through the pouring rain. His windscreen wipers were working like crazy. He was closing in as the sound of car horns came from ahead followed by cars swerving round the van.

One was not so lucky and collided with the van and spinning into an embankment. Bond swerved around the skidding car and attempted to catch the van. Nicole looked out the rear window and spotted two cars following quickly. They were gaining fast. "James" she cried. Bond quickly looked backed to notice the same two cars. He pulled the handbrake up and the spun 180 degrees and reversed. He was now staring at the two chasing cars. After he pressed a switch behind his steering wheel a panel with other buttons appeared from the CD players section.

"Push the missile button" he said to Nicole. She pressed it and watched as to rockets fired and careened into the front grill of the pursuing cars. Bond spun the car around once more and continued to chase the van. As he neared the van he pressed another button on the panel. The windshield converted to night vision and the headlights turned off. It was as though the car disappeared into the night.

"Grab the wheel" Bond requested to Nicole as he opened the drivers door and climbed onto the roof. Nicole moved across and took control of the car. Bond eyed the closing van up ahead as he lay down flat on his chest. The raindrops had turned into hale stones and were smacking into Bonds face at a break neck speed. He leant over the side as they closed in further.

"Pull up beside the van" he called. Nicole nodded and moved the car to the side of the van. Bond swung himself back onto the roof and positioned himself to leap aboard. When the two vehicles were parallel to each other Bond leapt onto the vans roof causing the driver to lose concentration and swerve. Bond clung on and kicked in a small side window. It was big enough for him to fit into and was met with a blow to the face when he got into the van's rear. A man dressed as a waiter punched Bond three more times; twice in the stomach and once in the side of the head. Bond dodged the following blow and retaliated by slamming the man into the vans inner walls. He then threw the man to the opposite wall. The man got up and threw Bond into the doors, which swung open on impact.

Bond was hanging onto the right side door as it swung freely. He looked around the door to the road ahead and spotted an upcoming tree. In an instant he pulled out his gun and fired into the rear right tire. The car veered sharply right as the door swung Bond into the rear of the truck as they passed the tree. The van rolled down a slight slope before colliding roof first into a large tree. Bond dived out as the van crashed into the tree. The two men inside the van were killed on impact.

He brushed himself off and moved towards the van. He heard Nicole rush down the slope towards him. Bond forced the door of the van open and pulled out an envelope which read 'to be delivered on completion to British Intelligence'. Bond tore it open quickly.

"What does it say?" Nicole asked. Bond handed the sheet of paper back to her.

' _In Fire and in blood…the debt must be repaid' _

_Mr. Midnight_

Nicole swallowed hard.

Bond turned to her and said "I think we've found our escaped terrorists".

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Story complete. I really enjoyed writing this, as I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review!


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